Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Jubail vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,650 per month in Jubail vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,247 per month in Jubail vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jubail costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Jubail and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jubail 21% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.29

$2.04 ฿68.4

230.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.37 SAR 148

$18.71 ฿626

110.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 SAR 35.34

$7.86 ฿263

19.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.94

Cappuccino

$3.34 SAR 12.55

$2.03 ฿67.9

64.53%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$0.80 ฿26.71

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.35 ฿11.71

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.73 ฿57.8

5.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.57 ฿52.5

-36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.20 ฿40.10

40.00%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$1.97 ฿66.0

27.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.74

$16.23 ฿543

-49.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 SAR 25.75

$3.06 ฿102

124.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 SAR 41.60

$10.80 ฿361

2.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.77 ฿92.6

-16.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.17 ฿39.05

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.71 ฿57.1

-7.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$1.59 ฿53.3

-11.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.19

$1.39 ฿46.63

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.16 ฿38.67

18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$0.66 ฿22.11

113.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.52 ฿17.35

15.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SAR 27.27

$4.65 ฿155

56.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.68 SAR 96.4

$18.64 ฿624

37.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 SAR 15.19

$1.41 ฿47.17

187.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.34 ฿44.82

35.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.99 SAR 63.8

$8.11 ฿271

109.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.23 ฿41.27

-47.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

-8.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

11.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 SAR 381

$71.3 ฿2,386

42.32%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$31.84 SAR 120

$14.01 ฿469

127.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$17.93 ฿600

259.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 SAR 336

$40.82 ฿1,365

118.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.40 SAR 133

$6.88 ฿230

414.53%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 SAR 52.5

$5.72 ฿191

144.76%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$202 SAR 757

$308 ฿10.3K

-34.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-41.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 SAR 141

$55.8 ฿1,865

-32.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 SAR 230

$26.04 ฿871

135.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SAR 318

$84.8 ฿2,837

-0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$71.0 ฿2,375

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,514

$423 ฿14.2K

-4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 SAR 1,024

$242 ฿8,110

12.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,390

$797 ฿26.7K

-20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 SAR 1,868

$507 ฿17.0K

-1.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 SAR 9,554

$1,918 ฿64.2K

32.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 SAR 4,944

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-10.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,627 SAR 6,107

$595 ฿19.9K

173.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jubail: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Jubail versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 173% higher in Jubail, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Jubail versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Jubail vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Jubail wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jubail vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,581 per month in Jubail and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Jubail and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Jubail – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,054 in Jubail and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,054 in Jubail. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jubail makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.